Study finds conventional wisdom about what TV Republicans, Democrats watch

By: Lucy Madison
Topics: Domestic Issues

Stephen Colbert, left, and Jon Stewart, right.

(Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Conventional wisdom would have you believe that viewers of Comedy Central's "Daily Show with Jon Stewart" are almost all liberals.

Now, a new study shows that there may be something to that.

According to a survey prepared for Entertainment Weekly by the consumer research company Experian, Americans' partisan preferences don't end with their thoughts on how to best fix the economy: Democrats and Republicans also watch very different television.

The report, which measures the favorite and least favorite television programs of self-described "liberal Democrats" and "conservative Republicans," finds that Democrats trend toward more "sarcastic" fare, while Republicans go for "serious work-centered shows" and reality competitions, according to EW.

Not infrequently, a show beloved by one party is reviled by the other.

Meanwhile, "Swamp Loggers," a Discovery channel show about "swamp loggers working the murky, dangerous swamps of North Carolina in search of high value timber" - was conservatives' top TV pick. Democrats named it their least favorite show.

According to the survey, shows that skew female tend to do better among Democrats; male-friendly programs, on the other hand, are higher-performing among Republicans. Comedies were also a Democratic favorite: "30 Rock," "Parks and Recreation," "Modern Family," "Glee" and "It's always Sunny in Philadelphia" also topped the liberal list. ("The View" scored high, too.)

For Republicans, History channel shows were disproportionately high-achieving: in addition to ABC's "The Bachelor" and "Castle," several History shows made the GOP top 10 list - including "Top Shot," "Only in America With Larry the Cable Guy," "American Pickers," "Pawn Stars," and "Swamp People."

Again reinforcing conventional wisdom, Republicans prefer "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno"; liberals, on the other hand favor "The Late Show With David Letterman."

Read the full results here.

Lucy Madison
Lucy Madison is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by dlaldhkTtmq December 30, 2011 8:55 AM EST: http://youtu.be/zXKV78VERio; Reply to this comment


by dantom39 December 8, 2011 8:07 AM EST: Never have watched john stewart who ever he is.; Reply to this comment


by LawyersGuns-n-Money001 December 8, 2011 6:09 AM EST: Republicans go for "serious work-centered shows" and reality competitions
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In other words, they like to watch other people work instead of actually doing any. Living vicariously through the hard work of others then somehow displacing that fantasy onto themselves.; Reply to this comment

by williamjd2011 December 7, 2011 10:54 PM EST

The right wing tea baggers all watch Alaska state troopers. If you notice Sarah Palin is the Gov. of Alaska and you see how the pepole in that state act. They all carry Illegal fire arms and smoke pot like ciggeretes. Nobody has drivers licenses or insurance. They all disrespect authority and law enforcement and will die in a shoot out before they let a cop arrest them. The first thing they do when a cop stops them is start quoting the constitution and their rights and pull their guns. The state has the highest rate of suiside in america and poverty is abundant everywhere you go. They mostly all live in garden sheds. There's a rich and a poor and no middle class. Sarah's template of Alaska is what would happen to the country if it fell under these right wing philosophy's. Do the reasearch. Then vote Democratic.

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by moretruthnow December 8, 2011 1:11 AM EST: I'm not watching the Daily Show or Colbert Report all the time. But they are great shows. I don't watch any of the other Democratic shows they name. I watch Ringer, NCIS, Chuck, White Collar, Covert Affairs, Bones and The Closer. I really don't think there is a left wing agenda for television viewing.

by kansas1946 December 7, 2011 9:03 PM EST

"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and the "Colbert Report" - both comedy news programs on Comedy Central - topped liberals' lists of favorites. Republicans, on the other hand, named both shows among their least favorite programs (second only to "Weeds," a dark comedy about a droll, marijuana-dealing matriarch).

Meanwhile, "Swamp Loggers," a Discovery channel show about "swamp loggers working the murky, dangerous swamps of North Carolina in search of high value timber" - was conservatives' top TV pick. Democrats named it their least favorite show.
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Gee, "Swamp Loggers" or Colbert. Not to much difficulty here deciding which group would be more fun to hang out with. I don't thing Republicans are smart enough to understand satire. But show them trashing a swamp and it is yee-haw.

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by moretruthnow December 8, 2011 1:12 AM EST: Ain't that the truth.

by perish6 December 7, 2011 8:57 PM EST

So, liberals are led by the nose by idiot comedians masquerading as news anchors.

Conservatives pay attention to history and real news.

Nothing here we didn't already know.

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by moretruthnow December 8, 2011 1:15 AM EST: Republicans mainly are glued to Fox Noise where republican propaganda is blasted by the republicans for greed and corrupt Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes. I'm surprised they find time for swamps and other programs that are not the least bit interesting.

by nolapearl December 7, 2011 6:03 PM EST

So, looking for high value timber in a swamp (destroying the planet) is the favorite show for Republicans. What? They didn't learn any lessons from destroying the swamps in Louisiana?

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by perish6 December 7, 2011 9:05 PM EST: Is that what Jon Stewart told you to write?

by bradkt1 December 7, 2011 5:49 PM EST

I am a Democrat and I do NOT watch Colbert, Stewart, Letterman, Leno, Top Shot, Swamp Loggers, The Bachelor, Americab Idol, The "X" Factor, Glee, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, Modern Family or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

I like Mythbusters, Sons of Guns, Eureka, Warehouse 13, Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, Hawaii 5-0, American Pickers, American Restoration, American Chopper, Turner Classic Movies and many of the History Channel shows.

What does that make me?

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by smittyc December 7, 2011 8:47 PM EST: Your comments imply that you are a Democrat because your family was. Another study shows since Obama was elected, the number of people who claim they are independents has risen to 35%, most of this group came from the Democratic base "According to the report/study". Maybe you are an independent and just don't know it? Personally, I take all the hype with a grain of salt as no one I know will participate in a poll including myself and I know a lot of people.


by moretruthnow December 8, 2011 1:20 AM EST: Most Indenpendents came from the republican party. I remember how Lou Dobbs was encouraging all the people listening to his show on CNN to become Independents. At least most Independents are not rabidly misinformed and are not full of hate for the truth and facts that disagree with so much of right wing thinking.

by getstraight December 7, 2011 4:59 PM EST

This is pathetic, since when did marketing research become news?

A nation of consumers.

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by rider1956 December 8, 2011 8:19 AM EST: To consume is a natural high.


by KnowerseekerReturns December 7, 2011 4:08 PM EST: What this points back to is the fact that liberals and conservatives (and everything else on the spectrum) have different life philosophies that drive their political stances. If you're a liberal, you "bleed" blue; if you're a conservative, you "bleed" red. It's through and through, and that's why the polarization. I'm a Christian Socialist, so I bleed purple (red + blue).; Reply to this comment